Improvement in hemp-cradles



GRIFFIN REYNOLDS, Je, OF WASHINGTON, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN HEIVlPr-CRADLES.

Specitication ,forming part of Letters" Patent No. 3,607, dated May 30, 1844.

To all whom tt may concern: Y

Be it known that I, GRIFFIN REYNOLDS, J r., of Washington, in the county of Mason and State OfKen tucky, have invented a new and useful im provementon the hemp-cradle heretofore patented by the United States to Laramore, and usually known as Laramores He1np()radle; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and opera-tion of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making y part of this specication, to the various parts of which drawing reference is hereby had by the following letters, to wit: A B G D E F K. The cradle may be from four to ve feet high,

- and the knife from thirty to thirty-eight inches long, as the hemp to be cut may be heavier or lighter. The knife is flat, (see letter K on draft,) wider at the heel than at the point or termination of the regular circle, and of a regular circle of about eight feet seven inches, or any given regular circle. The back brace or bender (see letter A on draft) is inserted in the snath (see letter a on draft) at the back edge ofthe heel of the knife and forms an irregular brace. 'The front fender or protector (see letter B on draft) extends at an angle of about fifteen degrees from a straight line with snath from near the point of the knife, to which it is fastened by a joint-bolt, to the fiithfinger, and then by a circle correspondin g with the fingers to letter A or back brace, into which it is inserted by mortise and forms the top nger. The S-brace (see letter C on draft) is inserted in the snath at the left of the nib (see letter D on draft),by mortise and extends in the `form of the letter S to letter A orback brace, equidistant between fifth and sixth finger, (on draft,) into which it is also inserted by mortise. The number of the ngers will be governed by the height of the cradle, the height Vof the cradle by the length of the knife, and

the length of the knife by the hemp to be out, whether heavier or lighter, as above explained. The fingers are inserted. into letter A or back brace by round tenon, and into letter` B or front brace by mortise. The first finger is elevated Valcove the knife about three inches and supported by'two stud-bolts (see letters E and F ou draft) from the knife to the first finger sufiicient distance from each other and front brace and back brace to steady and strengthen the knife, with a joint-bolt through the point of the knife into front brace, as explained above.

Eight braces to support fingers, (see small iigy ures l, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,) three from snath to` second, third, and fourth fingers, and tive from S-brace to second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth lingers.. The number of braces will of course be governed by the number of' fingers.

The general arrangement and bringing to-f gether the cradle, as above specified, gives it a more perfectequilibrium and greaterstrength and steadiness than Laramores cradle Withe out adding to the'weight of the cradle. The

frame of the cradle, being raised at an angle of "about fifteen degrees from a straight line with the snath to within about five or seven inches ofthe top, which is set out nearly on a square with a straight line froml the snath causes the cradle, with much greatercertainty and facility, to gather the hemp, and renders it much less difficult to deliver it in the same uniform order that it gathers it.-

The flat knife and the regular circle of the knife, and its being wider at the heel than at the point ortermination of the regular circle, possesses the following important advantages over Lara mores knife:

First. The knife being dat and of a regular circle gives it a regular purchase and support from the edge to the back and from the heel to the point, whereas the raised edge and the irregular circle deprive the knife of the necessary regular brace and support, cause it to spring andto twist, force the knife downward, andmake it much more unmauageable, and necessarily much more laborious upon the operator. The same weight of metal in the dat knife with regular circle renders the knife much stronger and causesit to cnt much more easilyl with the same power, because the strain on the knife and the power applied in the use of it are necessarily distributed with perfect regularity'to every part of the knife.

Secondly. As the cradle advances, the hemp falls from the point to the heel in a body more compactly, and requires greater surface to act upon and support it until it is delivered, andV hence the reason that the knife should he wider at the heel than the point.

The setting apart the len/fe mtl the first jinger.-The knife of Laramores cradle is supported b ya broad finger or board several inches wide resting upon the knife, which causes a serious obstruct-ion by collecting and retaining Whatever may happen to come-in contact with it, and the spring of the knife is very liable to admit between it and the board or broad fmger stubble and other trash, which causes a confusion of the hemp, and the cradle to move sluggishly and heavily, all of which difficulties and objections are entirely obviated in the above improvement, While the knife is better supported and the hemp has the Whole surface of the knife to rest upon.

4 The front brace ami jinger-bmces.-The 1inger-.braces from this brace are indispensable to the proper strength and steadiness of the Whole cradle, as Well as of their respective tingers, and the form ofthe Sbrace alone admits of their use, while it greatly assists in supporting the entire frame. The additional number of fingers, in the stead of the cloth or iron rods, increases the strength of the cradle and will add very slightly, if at all, to its Weight.' A

The more the Wooden lingers are used the smoother, of course, they become, and the small branches of thehemp are less liable to become entangled and to hang upon them than the small iron rods or the'narrow hoop-iron, and are much more durable than the cloth, and Will add t0 the ease and the facility ofdelivering the hemp.

Your petitioner, the ysaid GRIFFIN REY- NOLDS, Jr., claims as his original improvement upon Laramores hemp-cradle- The combination of the knife, constructed as described, with the front brace, B, and space between the first finger, O, and the knife.

In witness whereof the said GRIFFIN REY- NOLDS, Jr., has hereunto set his hand the 16th day of September, 1843.

GRIFFIN REYNOLDS, J R.

Attest:

C. W. OWENS, H. R. REEDER. 

